


The Flag of Arendelle

by CabbageTea



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama, F/F, F/M, Politics, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-10
Updated: 2019-12-13
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:01:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21742621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CabbageTea/pseuds/CabbageTea
Summary: This takes place directly after the events of Frozen II.Anna seeks to understand her role and the challenges her kingdom will face without an all powerful queen. Elsa fears that her power may not be exactly what she thinks it is. The two sisters must learn to fight their own battles, or be destroyed in the one that is coming.
Relationships: Anna/Kristoff (Disney), Elsa/Honeymaren (Disney)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 27





	1. Advisor to the Queen

**Author's Note:**

> Frozen and Frozen II belong to Disney and I claim no ownership of the characters, places, or events that took place before this story.

The Flag of Arendelle

  
  


Sven rang the bell and flipped the hourglass. 

Kristoff began moving his arms as if he were paddling a boat. 

“Uh, rowing! Exploring? River! Boats!” Anna yelled. 

Kristoff motioned for her to keep going. 

“Fishing? Kayak?” 

Kristoff jumped out of his pretend boat and started hugging the air. Just as suddenly, he pushed the air and mimicked the people sliding away from him. 

“Ice canoe?” Elsa asked. She didn’t wait for confirmation. Her eyes cast downward to her hands. 

“You got it! Not sure why, since you’re not on my team.” Kristoff laughed. 

Elsa tried to smile back, but Anna could tell that her heart wasn’t in it. 

“What’s wrong, Elsa? Are you getting tired of playing charades all the time?” Anna asked. 

“No, that’s not it...it’s just, I-I’m afraid you’re going to think I’m going to do it again.” Elsa said. 

Anna’s face grew serious. “Elsa, what are you talking about?”

“There’s something I need to do, and it’s going to take some time," Elsa said, taking a few steps back. 

"It's not dangerous is it? Elsa, you promised to tell me _everything._ You promised to let me help you, and that was just months ago! Just two months ago!" Anna said. 

"I _am_ telling you, right now. It’s about my powers. I don’t really know everything yet, and I'm not alone this time. Yelana and Honeymaron will be guiding me,” Elsa replied.

“Then one more won’t matter! I’ll start packing,” Anna said.

“No! Anna, the people of Arendelle need you. Who will ring the Yule Bell? Who will the people look to for leadership? You must stay within Arendelle.” Elsa replied, gently. She hugged Anna close. “I’ll be back in about a month, and we can start planning your wedding.” 

Anna shot a glance at Kristoff, “I guess, but if Olaf melts I’m charging straight into the enchanted woods to find you.”

“ I’ll be fine, besides, I’m stronger than ever. Anyway, it’s getting late. I better head home before _they_ send a search party after me. Thanks for having me over, I’ll be back before you know it.” 

With that, Elsa left the castle.

Anna watched from the window as her sister summoned the Nokk from the water and climbed onto its back. The sun was beginning to set over the form of her sister running over the fjord.

“Olaf, patted Anna’s hand. It’ll be okay. You won charades by the way. It wasn’t an honorable win cuz Elsa went home, but it’s a win.” 

“Thanks Olaf, I better head downstairs too. Sir Twildale asked to see me this afternoon.”

“Oh! Can I come? I love his sideburns.” Olaf shaped himself a set of sideburns and little medals along his middle before furrowing his stick eyebrows to impersonate the gruff man. Anna smiled at his antics, but knew that bringing her friend along would only annoy Sir Twildale further. 

“Can you keep Kristoff and Sven company? I think it would be better to speak to him alone.”

❄

Anna walked towards the great hall and pushed the huge door open. She hadn’t been in there since her coronation party. The room was dimly lit from the thin cracks of the heavy curtains, and the room echoed with each step she took towards them. Anna pushed the curtains wide open and let the bright light of the setting sun into the room. 

“Do close that, or you’ll ruin the furniture.” Sir Twildale stepped away from beside one of the thrones. Anna hadn’t noticed him in the darkness despite his prominent white sideburns and the gold medals glinting along his chest. She quickly complied, snapping the curtains to a close. He lit a few candles while her eyes adjusted to the darkness. 

“Better?” He asked. “Go ahead and take a seat, so we can begin.” 

Anna glanced uncertainly at the two thrones that sat against the wall. She hadn’t sat on them yet. It felt wrong to sit there, where her parents sat, to make decisions for the good of her kingdom. Anna pushed the feeling away. It was her throne. Her rightful place. 

Sir Twildale wasted no time. “Now, the matter at hand. I’m here to be your advisor. As I was for your grandfather, King Runeard, and as I was for the kingdom before Princess Elsa came of age.”   
“An advisor? Elsa didn’t have an advisor.” Anna answered. The way Sir Twildale looked at her made Anna feel small and insignificant. Sir Twildale raised an eyebrow at her.

“Princess Elsa was ready to be queen. She prepared for the crown while you… rode a bike over priceless carpeting, no offense, Your Majesty,” he walked over to the other throne and placed his hand on the armrest, “I was there when King Runeard was crowned, and I was there as he trained King Agnarr to take his place.” 

Anna started to object, “I’ve already saved my people twice without your help.” 

“You have indeed, for you are both brave and foolish. You nearly perished and left the kingdom without a ruler in two instances.” 

Anna glared at him from the throne, “I have Kristoff and Elsa to help me. That’s all I need.” 

“Ah, yes. You do indeed have both a commoner and a witch at your side. That’s what I hear from the people, anyway.” He replied.

“You’re not making a good case for yourself.” Anna said. 

“I do not need to. Tell me, where does Arendelle get its wealth from?” He asked. 

Anna did know this one, “We export timber, fish, leather, and most recently, ice.” Elsa had enchanted the ships with permafrost, allowing the ships to deliver ice to the kingdoms beyond the Southern Isles for the first time. 

“Correct, and we also serve as a trading post and mediator for other kingdoms seeking to trade. Now, tell me what keeps them from taking over this castle and fjord for themselves?” 

Anna hesitated, “We have good relationships with them, and it’s difficult to trust a kingdom that would overthrow another.” 

“Also correct. Now, tell me this, what if that kingdom were controlled by an evil ruler? What if is wasn’t for power or supplies, but to save the residents? He asked.

“That doesn’t matter, because Arendelle isn’t ruled by an evil ruler. It’s ruled by me, if you hadn’t noticed,” Anna told him. 

“Oh, trust me, everyone has noticed.” Sir Twildale replied. “Let me show you something.” He pulled folded scrap of paper from his pocket and began reading from it.” 

“Refugees from Arendelle claim that their newly crowned Queen is dangerous. A witness saw Queen Elsa attack foreign dignitaries, citizens, and her own sister before fleeing to the North Mountain. The summer was replaced by an endless winter and trapped the citizens, visitors, and the witness within the castle. Queen Elsa fought the royal guards who sought to bring her back and attacked her sister, Princess Anna, again. She cannot be contained, controlled, or reasoned with. The witness took a ship all the way to the Southern Isles the moment the fjord thawed.” 

Anna objected, “That’s not what happened! Elsa was just scared, she didn’t mean to harm anyone.” 

“We know that, and the people who stayed here long enough to listen know that. But this kind of story sells. This kind of story creates fear,” Sir Twildale slammed his hand against the chair. “Then, as quickly as she arrived, Queen Elsa disappears. The ice sculptures she has made disappear from the courtyards of foreign palaces, her sister takes her place, and she now lives in a magical forest that doesn’t exist on a map. It all seems rather convenient. A cover perhaps? To hide a dead queen?” He asked.

“People see Elsa all the time! She was just here!” Anna yelled. 

“Correction, we see Elsa all the time. We know Elsa is still around, but the kingdoms who fear her ice giants and frozen fjord only see an empty threat.” He snapped. 

“Your Majesty, I’m here to prepare you for the impending war.”

❄ ❄ ❄


	2. Elsa's power

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elsa returns to the enchanted forest where we learn what troubles her.

**_Elsa_ **

Elsa stroked Nokk’s mane as she rode across the fjord. 

“Why can’t I ever get this right?” She asked herself. She was supposed to be the fifth spirit! She was the bridge between the spirits and humans and she couldn’t even explain herself to the person she loved the most. She looked down at her hands, and wondered if she really was blessed. Elsa let the chilling breeze run through her hair tried to clear her thoughts. She could see the edges of the fog that still lingered around the enchanted forest. It no longer imprisoned the inhabitants, but traces of it still encircled the forest as if it were ready to snap shut again. 

Elsa arrived on the bank just before the sun fully set across the horizon. The orange glare of the sunset cast long shadows across the forest and deep shadows on Honeymaren’s face. She looked tired, but broke into a wide smile when she saw Elsa step over the rocks. 

Honeymaren ran over to Elsa’s side and reached for her arm, but Elsa flinched away from her grasp. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean… uh,” Elsa averted her gaze from Honeymaren’s large brown eyes. 

“No, don’t be. I’m sorry for trying to grab you like that. I uh, was just happy to see you back home so early. How did it go?” Honeymaren asked. 

“Well, I managed to tell her, sorta.” Elsa shrugged, “I couldn’t exactly tell her the specifics.” 

“But she understands that you need to do this, and you aren’t alone.” Honeymaren gently placed her hands on Elsa’s. “We need to understand this power.” 

“Powers, if you’re right.” Elsa replied and pulled her hands back. 

❄

The next morning, Yelana gathered the Northuldra tribe for a meeting. 

“My people, for decades we have been trapped within this forest. We have protected our legends and history. I believe that history is repeating itself, as it has and always will, for Elsa is not the first spirit that has protected our people. Before times of great strife, the spirits have always warned us, for we are the people that listen.” She turned to Elsa, “Please, tell them what happened the night you called to the spirits.” 

Elsa came forward, and glanced at Honeymaren who gave her a reassuring nod. 

“I heard a voice calling for me from Ahtohallan. I followed it to the edge of Arendelle and called back to it. When I did, the ice around me froze into the symbols of the spirits; water, fire, earth, and air,” Elsa swept her hands over her head and the same crystals formed in the air, “Then I felt it. A rumbling in the earth and in my core. I knew something was coming to destroy Arendelle. I was scared, and the ice crystals shattered to the ground waking everyone in the whole town. I thought… it was the spirits coming to destroy the kingdom.” Elsa looked over at Yelana, who continued the story. 

“But it was not the other spirits, for the spirits were still trapped within the enchanted forest. Yet, Arendelle was swept by a great wind, the fires were whisked away from the hearths and lamps, the water retreated, and the earth shook. The people of Arendelle fled to the cliffs.”

Elsa began again, “Yes, later I believed that the spirits helped my people escape to safety, but when I told Yelana this she told me that they were all still trapped. They were angry and wanted to destroy the dam to right the wrongs of the past.  _ I _ was the only one who wanted the people to escape. I was the one who was afraid.” Elsa stopped for a moment, “When I’m afraid, I lose control of my powers.” 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a short chapter, but I wanted to go ahead and introduce the POV shift as well as Elsa's dilemma. Thank you to everyone who is reading and thank you so much to the people who commented. It really made my day. :)

**Author's Note:**

> Do not worry, there is more to come. The POV will switch between Anna and Elsa, and we will soon see exactly what Elsa has dicovered about her powers from the legends of the Northuldra. This is my first fanfiction on here and it has been a long time since I wrote my last one, so any comments or criticisms will be greatly appreciated. Thank you for reading. :)


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